Tire-casing expander



June l0, 1930. G, w. HEBBELER 1,762,227

TIRE GASING EXPANDER Filed June 21, 1928 Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED snr-refs GEORGE W. HEBBELER, on ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI TIRE-casino? EXPNDER Y' Application filed June 21, 1928. Serial No. 237,080; u p

This invention relates to newfand useful improvements in tire casing 'expanders f f It is a primary 'object of the present in-y vention to provide a toolWhich. can be in-l serted in position to expand the casing so that one man can handle the tire conveniently Without any othervassistance and make the necessary repairs or inspection.- Y g Other objects of the invention-are to pro-4 1o vide a tire casing expanderwhich" :is-adjust-A able forV use With different sized casingsy and Which is held securely in position inthe casing *whereby all danger of the expander becoming displaced and the edges of the casing closing together While theuser is Working on the casing'is thereby eliminated. f

Further objects are to provide a tool of the-class describedv Which is of simple construction,-can 'be readily -used by an'inex- Y perienced person, is eilicient inperforming its intended functions, and Which can be manufactured at lovsT cost, out of standardmaterial.

'With these hereinafter more fully described and claimed,

ings, in Which- Y '3o Figure lis aside elevational view of. the expander showing 1t applied to a casing,`

Which latter is shown in dotted lines.

' Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan View of the expander. i v Y Figure 3 is an end elevational view. l v Y Figure 4 is a vertical cross section taken on line 4--4 of Figure 1. j

Figure 5 is a sectional detail view of a modied form of my expander.

Briefly7 the invention consists of a member insertable transversely Within the tire casing with the ends of the memberbearing against the beaded edges of the casing so as to hold the latter in expanded position. The ends of the expander'are enlarged land so flanged as to more readily engage the edgesand support the member in position and hold it against collapsing under the pressure ex-v erted by the expanded casing.

Preferably the member is adjustable tional area as the inside dimensions of-"chan' Y nel'12. rThe purpose of this iiller isfto reiner andother objects in view, my 25 invention consists 1n certain novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of part-s,

longitudinally soas to adapt it to casinglsxoii diiierent sizes. f

Referring by numeralsto the accompanying draWings,`10 indi'catesa bodyportion v which, in the present-instance, consists of l two sections 11 'and 12, respectively,fhaving telescoping relation With' each; other'sov as to vary the length of saidinember 10 Both`V oit-said sections are preferably for-med of' sheet metal, :formed channell-shaped-in"cross section,-section 12 being of 'smaller dimensions 'so as to slide Within section 11;; r'Ilhis' section 12 is providedlwith a filler block-14,; f preteralblypmade of Wood, ofsame-cross seo-lv force the horizontalilanges'of the sections Whenv undue pressure is applied thereto." Sec tion- 12 is provided With a series oivert-ically disposed spaced-apart apertures- Which-ex-l tend through filler- 14 andi-the! horizontal flanges of section' 11 are provided-With` coe axially; aligned apertures -16-V Whih are adapted to be aligned with 'any one off-said apertures 15so that a screw or'pin 17 v`can-be inserted therethrough and lock said sections in adjustedposition;y j v ,Y `The Aprojecti'ngend `of screw 17` receives la'- Wing nut 18 which can'be drawnagainst the horizontalflange of section 111 and hold said screw against displacement.v f

f There are three apertures 15' formed section 12. Consequently three adjustments i of the expander can be obtained. l-Iovvever-,Qy byincreasing` tl-ieL-numlb'erv of-apertures asa: V- -greater-range of. adjustment can'be'had. Y

The outer ends of sections {1 1 and 'l2-'are each providedv with 1an y'enlarged end meme ber19 Which isffdisposedtransversely to'v the` longitudinal-axis of portion 10.-." Each end member isi-preferably Vformed angular in' cross section having ai horizontally and for-v Wardly disposed:A flange l2 0v andv a dependingy flange 21, Which latter is'. disposedjadjacentl to body portion 10.` These depen'dingzflanges u areipreferably` inclined from vertical sofas to more nearly correspond to theinclination of the inneriwalls of a. tire casing; When the,-

expander is insertedV in position `between-thej i beaded edges of the casing,;;v`\?hile the horil-` V m0 upper face'of the casing.

Zontally disposed flanges 2() rest on the tops of said edges. Y

End members 19 are of sufficient length so as to provide a comparatively large surface engagement between said ends vand the edges of the casing and prevent the'accidental displacementof the expander under the pressure exerted thereagainst by the casing.

The edges of anges 20 are slightly curved upwardly as indicated at 20a andthe end edges of flanges 2l are'curved rearwardly as indicated at 21a in order to facilitate the shifting of the expander in the casing and prevent the biting of the edges of said flanges into the casing.A Each flange 21 is provided a suitable distance to each side of the longitudinal axis of the expander with a transversely disposed rib or shoulder 22 which is curved transverselyV and is presented outwardly againstV the inner face ofthe casing, andsimilar ribs 24 are formed in the underside yof each ange 2O and bear against the Ribs 241 are preferably in alignmentwith ribs 22 and are, in fact, continuations thereof.

When they device is formed of sheet metal, as in the instant case, said ribs are formed by indentation. The purpose of these ribs isvto provide suitable bearing faces between the end members 19Y and the tire casing, thereby eliminating unnecessary surface contact between the flanges 20 and 21 and the casing, and thus reducing the friction and facilitating theshifting of the expander.

In the form shown in Figures 1 to 4, sections 11 and 12 are formed separate from end pieces 19 and are secured thereto in any suitable manner, as for zinstance, by cutting the ends of the web portions of said sections and bending said ends at right angles as indicated at25 so that said ends bear Y against the depending flanges 21. The ends of the top flangeare left straight and over-V lie Vthe horizontal flanges 20 and are secured thereto, while the ends of the bottom flanges Vof sections 11 and 12can be bent downwardly and secured to depending flanges 21. A

The preferable method of securing the end `portions ofsections 11 and 12 Vto the end in van eflicient manner, thereby providing aV tool-of rugged constructionin an economi cal manner. L

In the modified form shown inFigure 5, each channel section 27 is cast integral with theendpiece 28 and as the channel members are formed of casting, no filler is required in the inner member.

In working on the casing, any number of expanders can be used. Where it is desired to expand the whole casing three or four expanders spaced equidistant in the casing will be found sufficient. However, in working on one spot only, two expanders, one on each side, can be used. Theexpander is held in position by the tension produced by expanding the casing. The depending flanges 21 provide ample surface Contact with the edges of the casing not only to prevent displacement of the expander but also to receive sufficient pressure to hold the expander in position, when the expander occupies reversed position, as, for instance, when insertedinrthe upper half of a casing which is held in vertical position.

My improved expander is light in weight and occupies very little space, so that it may bey carried conveniently with the other tire tools.

While I have described and shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the construction and arrangement of parts of my expander can be made, without departing from the spirit of my invention.Y

I claim:

A tire expander comprising in combination a pair of sections channel shaped in cross section and arranged in opposed relation with the flanges disposed in juxtaposed relation and provided with a series ofequidistant spaced apertures, a pin insertable through the aligned apertures for securing said sections in adjusted positions, a transversely disposed angle Vmember secured to the outer end of each section with a vertically disposed flange arranged against the deflected ends of the flange and web portion of the corresponding section, and with a horizontally disposed flange of said angle memf ber arranged against the underside of the end of the upper flange of said section, and means' for attaching the flanges of the angle member to the ends of the corresponding section, the end edges of each angle member being curved outwardly to present rounded surfaces to' the annular edges of the tire.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my .signature this 13th day yof June, 1928.

GEORGE HEBBELER. 

